With support, teens will feel comfortable not 'doing it'

REBECCA RAMIREZ For the North County Times

The beginning of a school year is a time for making new friends,
sharing positive experiences and, of course, that all-too-familiar
word: homework. But what about talking about something like
abstinence? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines abstinence as
"the abstention from sexual intercourse." What does that mean
exactly? It means not having sex.

Abstinence is the only 100 percent effective way to prevent
unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Other methods of birth control can be effective in avoiding
pregnancies and STDs if used regularly and correctly -- however,
none of them is as effective as not having sex at all.

Recently, there have been some concerns with the issue of
abstinence-based programs versus comprehensive programs and how
effective each of them are. However, it is how teens interpret the
information to make the right decisions for themselves. With
support from families and other trusted adults, teens can feel more
comfortable talking about their sexual health.

Because the United States has a high rate of teen pregnancy
compared with many other countries, some believe that programs
designed to prevent teens from having sex are not working. Looking
at the facts more closely, however, would reveal that teen
pregnancy rates have declined significantly in recent years.
According to The National Campaign To Prevent Teen Pregnancy:

- In the United States, the teen pregnancy rate declined by 36
percent between 1990 and 2002.

- Between 1991 and 2005, the percentage of high school students
who have had sex decreased by 13.3 percent.

These statistics show how teens are changing their views on
sexual activity. More and more teens are learning about the
long-term effects of STDs, as well as the realities of teen
parenthood. Parents, teachers, peers and the media are very
influential in the way teens draw up their opinions about sex, and
although teens receive mixed messages about this topic at times,
they are becoming more likely to choose abstinence.

Thus, it is important for parents and other adults in teens'
lives to know what they are being taught in schools. When
relationships are built between teens and trusted adults, it makes
for better lines of communication. They are able to talk openly
about what new information and skills they are learning in the
classroom. It can also help parents make educated decisions
regarding what their teens learn about sex. Whether people agree
with abstinence-based programs or comprehensive programs, teens
have questions and it is a responsibility that we all share to give
them the answers they need to make informed decisions about their
sexual health.

More recently, 73 percent of teens surveyed about teen pregnancy
felt that it was not embarrassing to reveal that they had never had
sex before. In 1991, 57 percent of high school males and 51 percent
of high school females had ever had sex before, whereas in 2005,
the numbers declined to 48 percent for males and 46 percent for
females.

This fall, as teens go back to school and hear the old saying
that "everyone is doing it," the reality is that not everyone is
doing it, and when met with positive reinforcement on such topics,
the rates of teen pregnancy can continue to decline.